Monday, October 14, 2013

A few years back, my mom gave us a wonderful table-top haunted house. Bob has a great time setting it up every year, arranging the little jack-o-lanterns and tombstones. When we turn the switch, the lights in the window flicker and a witches cackling can be heard along with creaking and ghost-y noises. Traditionally, we set the house on the buffet in our dining room. The difference this year is that the house has to share that real estate with Bob's black beta fish, Max.

On Friday we put up the house in its usual spot and moved the fish bowl over a foot or so. As we placed the skeleton in the hammock, Bob and I noticed that Max had moved over to the side of the bowl closest to the house and was watching. We stood back to see if he was just coming over to see us and we realized that Max was actually watching the haunted house. He stared, transfixed for the rest of the afternoon. We couldn't even get his attention by offering him food. He was just that into it.

We shared possible explanations for Max's preoccupation. Perhaps he was waiting for someone to come out. Maybe the house looks like some underwater castle he had in his tank at the pet store. Bob suggested that maybe Max thought he was on an episode of House Hunters International. I'll admit, I've never given Max that much thought or attention. Now that he may have some inner life we can only speculate about, I think Max is pretty cool.